rob balucas

Catalyst. Creative. Triathlete. Speaker. Cigar Aficionado. Amateur Behavioral Psychologist. Fresh Spring Roll Addict. Paraplegic at the moment.

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Kona IRONMAN World Championships | Race Recap

A week goes by really fast. Wow. A week ago I was in the race. I’m back home after an amazing time in Kona.

What happened…

(I didn’t make it to the finish line)

I honestly don’t know what happened.

I had a decent swim by my standards.. It was tough, really tough. Gauging from how everyone else described their swim, mine was equally challenging.

My transition wasn’t great, but at least I had everything with me that I needed.

There’s a period for the first few miles of the bike where your body is still in transition from one sport to the next and you’re just trying to find your rhythm and settle in.

I just never found that place … for the next 9.5 hours.

Somewhere in the first 10 miles my chain came out of my rear derailleur and got jammed while I was going 30+ mph on a wonderful downhill.

I had to stop, get some help, dig into my flat kit for my chain breaker, break the chain, fix the problem, reconnect the chain, and then pack up my flat kit. That cost valuable time.

And then after that, I just couldn’t find the sweet spot. I couldn’t maintain the watts (power) necessary to make the bike cutoff. My chain derailed twice more. I missed it by a whopping 75+ minutes.

Did I not drink enough water? All the locals say this year it was way more humid than usual. My paralyzed body is very affected by weather and I don’t like to admit it. My neuropathic pain jumps through the roof when the weather shifts. I still don’t believe it when it happens.

I knew at the midway point at Hawi (mile 60) I wasn’t going to make it back in time. The speed I’d have to maintain wasn’t possible given I had to go right back where I came from through the same rolling elevation and climate.

It became about not quitting. It became about getting ‘home’, on my own power, whether I get to keep going on or not.

At a certain point it was almost doubtful I’d make it back before sundown. But I did.

I could go on and on. One of the other handcyclists here didn’t finish his first Kona IMWC (this year was his 5th). Carlos Moleda, a legend of IMWC and 5-time Champion didn’t finish his first either.

with Bob Babbitt
Breakfast with Bob Interview
Breakfast with Bob Interview
Poncho Man - Breakfast with Bob
Name wall
IRONMAN World Championships

Many have said this just fuels you for the next one. And that might be true at some point.

The thing for me is: I don’t know that I have this level of training in me again. I’ve said before how incredibly intense the training has to be. It has come at the cost of every other part of my life. Anyone who’s been in the orbit of someone training for an IRONMAN knows this fact.

My business has suffered. My relationship and our home has taken lower priority.

It comes at significant financial cost. Many have supported me in this and I don’t want to keep asking for that support.

AND .. I hate that this will be the story if I stop here. I had a DNF in Kona. I had a DNF at the 2019 IM 70.3 World Championships in France. That track record sucks. And I hate that it’s mine right now.

I know there is a lot more in this than that. I know that there’s a victory in just getting to the starting line. I know there’s a lot of value in the journey to get there.

But I didn’t put in all this work just to show up. I didn’t work this hard for years to just get out there.

I didn’t also didn’t do it to win.

I did it for what I thought was very reasonable for me, my athletic ability, and resources.

I just wanted to cross the finish line.

I wanted to hear, “You are an IRONMAN” from Mike Reilly even if I was the last person.

Sure there will be more paratriathlon in my future. Shorter distance stuff for fun and staying fit. But my track record on the big races will be DNF. And that fucking sucks.

But let’s be honest. It’s a blessed life. To have a partner in Erika who supports this journey. To have a community – a tribe – who support me as you have. There’s so much to be grateful for; and I most certainly am.

One of my favorite books speaks of “Finding your edge, and not faking not.”

I found my edge that day. I did the best I possibly could in punishing conditions at the biggest stage in triathlon.

As much as I wish it did, it did not happen any other way.

October 12, 2022

Wheels Down in Kona

It’s happening. It’s really, really happening this time.

We are wheels down in Kona. All the bags are here.

Saturday was about getting in and getting the handcycle and race chair put together and making sure everything was intact. My battery-powered tire pump bricked on the second of 6 tires needing air. But nothing a quick trip to Lowe’s couldn’t remedy.

Today, Sunday, was an early morning swim for Erika; a nice post swim actual ‘breakfast with Bob’ and Heidi Babbitt, Aussie Paralympic silver medalist Lauren Parker and her Mum and her coach; then back to our place for lunch with family and pumping up tires.

It’s warm. It’s humid. I vascilate between excitement, zen, being present, and all all out imposter syndrome anxiousness .. on a moment to moment basis.

One of the IRONMAN staff said, ”If I wasn’t going through these waves, it would mean I’m a sociopath.”

He’s got a point. This is a big deal and that rollercoaster is only human. … I once heard a great TEDx talk about surrender …

But I’m ready. I have faith in my training. I’ve had the benefit of an additional year of training because of last year’s race postponement. For those who know, my VO2 max is double what it was when we started measuring 4 years ago. So at age 45, I’m the most fit I have ever been.

For those who’ve been asking, here’s how to track me:
(There are text links throughout this info to go direct to the spots)

105 is my bib number.

There is an IRONMAN app where you can track my progress.

The race is this Thursday.
I’m scheduled to start at 6:27am local time / 9:27am Pacific

There is Facebook / YouTube coverage of the women pros that day and we start right after they do. So there’s a small chance you might catch us in the coverage.

After the pro race, the coverage turns into a single stream of the finish line. My goal is to finish between 8pm and 9pm local time … so you might catch my 15 seconds of fame there.

Of course you can find my updates on Facebook and Instagram. I think you might be able to view my posts on Instagram even if you don’t have an account.

On Tues at 8:15am local time / 11:15am Pacific, I’m going to be interviewed again on Breakfast with Bob, live on YouTube. Bob Babbitt is the hall of fame ambassador for the sport of triathlon. He interviews all the professional condenders leading up to the race .. and me!

Wear your #teambalucas shirt this week? 🙏🏽

Here’s also something I would love: do you have your #teambalucas shirt from 2016? Would you post a picture of it this week? I would love to continue to make the statement “You Create Your LIfe” this week as I hit the climax of this story.

For those who got #teambalucas wine, it is in production! The bottles are being labeled this week. I am excited to be sending this to you. It’s legitimately amazing Cab too. If you know the Housley’s, you know how special and amazing they are. I’m incredibly grateful for their support and friendship.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. It takes a lot of resources to pursue this goal. I don’t like asking. But not coming out the other side in debt takes a big piece of the stress out of the equation. For that I am VERY, VERY grateful.

More to come … stay tuned …

October 2, 2022

coffee love | year 7 update

Seven years ago today was the day I suffered a paralyzing spinal cord injury.

As you know, I had started a streak of celebrating with food .. that has not held up.

Year 1 was chicken fried steak and eggs, 
year 2 was a fancy milkshake, 
year 3 was fresh spring rolls,
year 4, 5, 6 .. I’m sure I did something, but I didn’t write about it and subsequently forgot.

This year I have nothing planned on this day, but I did smoke tri-tip with my cousins last weekend and that’s going to count.

Today is a big day of reflection for me. I’ve been reading my annual anniversary updates and looking back through pictures of all my exploits. 

For some reason this picture from the day before my injury sticks in my head: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rob Balucas (@robbalucas)

It represents my normal routine back then, working from a favorite coffee shop in the city. It also represents finding joy in everyday things like this coffee cup.

I believe that taking a minute – before getting on with work – to recognize and relish in such a small moment is a key component to the attitude and underlying character that allowed me to quickly get back to living after paralysis.

It’s a choice to take a minute. A choice we all are capable of making.
(And this is the whole thesis to this writing and most writing I do.)

Which brings us to today.

We’re 7 years into this wheelchair journey. 
I’m 45 years into life as of last week.
We’re 31 days from the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona.

The biggest thing that has been coming up in the last year is what I call ‘Cynicism Creep’.

Reading my past entries, there’s a LOT of positive. A lot of excitement and a lot of high vibration. But last year I missed writing an annual update. I wrote about the circumstances in last week’s blog. 

Add to that the pandemic, the state of conflict both in our country and around the world, and – this particular week – the HEAT wave here in the west.  The tone of our world gives plenty of reason to get cynical.

So where does that leave us? 

Here’s where it leaves me: Focus on what we can control. Create beauty, create smiles where we can.

What if we all were more attentive to our Cynicism Creep? Could we change the course of things big and small in our world? I think so.

Some experts also think so:

Kona, this blog, and pictures of my coffee cup are my efforts.

What are yours?


So about the wine

I tried to NOT ask for support this year. But I’ve found most days are battle to decide which gets more attention: training/rest/recovery or work. Working for myself, I only get paid for the time I work. Travel, physical therapy, tires, tubes, little incidental things – they have been adding up.

So one last time for my personal journey.

Any contribution is welcome, if you’re willing and able! It means a ton financially – and I kid you not – emotionally it means just as much, if not more.  Links are below.

And if you’re down with great wine, at $200 we’ll ship you a bottle of Housley’s Century Oak Winery 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon with a custom #teambalucas label (shown above).

Details below. Links here:

works too (better actually) »

contribute now »

Use this link to send me your mailing address – click here.


progress report 88%

$5,000 of $5,000


Details:

Shipping: If you are in Southern California and we’ll most likely see each other soon, you can subtract $20 in shipping costs if you choose. 

Timing: we may still wait until favorable wine shipping weather (read: not so hot). But expect it before Halloween.

If you don’t want wine or want to contribute less: that’s perfectly fine too. Just send me a message/email/text if you don’t want the wine.

How the wine came to be: read about my connection to the Housley Family.

September 5, 2022

Nametags Chat Episode 72 – Rob Balucas

Episode Details

Rob Balucas is an ‘every-man joe’ who was thrust into extraordinary circumstances in 2015 when a cycling accident rendered him paraplegic. At the time he was training for his first half IRONMAN triathlon the very next weekend. He vowed to return and raced in 3 sprint-distance triathlons as a paratriathlete that following year.

Since then he’s competed in 6 half IRONMANs, including the 2019 half IRONMAN World Championships in France. After qualifying, but delayed by 2 years of COVID, his next goal is to cross the finish line at triathlon’s biggest stage – the Kona (full) IRONMAN World Championship – this coming October 2022. Outside of paratriathlon, Rob resides in Southern California with his partner, Erika, and their dog Chloe. He is founder and Chief Creative Catalyst at babaLucas Creative, serving the branding and online marketing needs of small businesses and nonprofits.

What is Chris Waddell’s Nametags Chat Podcast?

Those who face the greatest adversity tell the most enlightening stories. Hall of Fame Paralympic athlete, the first “nearly unassisted” paraplegic to summit Mt Kilimanjaro and the founder of One Revolution Foundation Chris Waddell chats with members of the adaptive community regarding some of life’s most enduring questions: am I a victim or a survivor, is the situation overwhelming or a challenge, am I alone or part of a team and do I have one strategy or many? One Revolution’s Nametags Educational Program provides a jumping off point for people who live a life of courage, fulfillment and purpose that defies many.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts here.

August 25, 2022

Sports Saved My Life Podcast | Episode 33 Rob Balucas – Childhood, The Crash, and Becoming a Paratriathlete.

Rob was born in Fresno, California, but raised in Seattle, Washington. He earned his black belt in karate at the age of 14 and came through a challenging childhood. He attended Pepperdine University and currently owns a creative boutique agency. In his early 30’s he began training for triathlons in the bay area. One afternoon while training, he crashed cycling on a notorious curve and broke his spinal cord. He quickly figured out how to continue his love for triathlons as a paraplegic.

Listen to his amazing story in the latest Sports Saved My Life episode.

October 18, 2021

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